The Cuisine is the Focus at Blue Streak | Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, CA

Executive Chef Chris O'Connell with Sophie Gayot and GAYOT's Wine & Spirits Editor Dirk Smits

By Sophie Gayot

Santa Monica, October 2021

• GAYOT’s Rating: 14/20
• Cuisine: California
• Open Daily: Breakfast 7:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m., Lunch 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Golden Hour 5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m., Dinner 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.; Brunch Sat.-Sun. 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

When dining at the Loews hotel in Santa Monica, the attention is to be given to the cuisine of chef Chris O’Connell — and not the décor, as the restaurant is currently set in the hotel’s lobby. During the light of the day and of the sunset, the Santa Monica Bay is the backdrop.

Chef O’Connell is not a debutante; he has had years of experience in kitchens around the world. At a young age, aesthetics became a second nature, and he was determined to follow this passion in his future life. Luckily for us, O’Connell decided he wanted to be a chef.

Each of his plates is a colorful palette of well-balanced ingredients combined to create memorable tastes to the palate — the winner dish being the carrot salad. The proximity of the Santa Monica Farmers Market is a major asset to O’Connell, ensuring him freshness and quality to deliver a witty California cuisine.